National Eat Your Vegetables Day

Do you think there are a lot of children who have heard a parent say to them “Eat your vegetables, they are good for you!”  I, for one, definitely heard that at the dinner table.

Today is the day to check out all of the wonderful and delicious vegetables available to eat.  Vegetables are so healthy for you and the summertime is an especially great time to get them fresh.  Check out the many farmer’s markets in your area. Remember, a variety of colorful vegetables is a great beginning.

The recommended daily intakes of vegetables (and fruits) is 2 to 4 cups depending on your age and sex.  Most Americans have a hard time eating this much but there are good health reasons to try.

The top ten reasons for eating more vegetables according to www.eatingwell.com are:

Fights inflammation

Improves blood pressure

Gives you more fiber

Better eye health

Improves skin

Reduces risk of heart disease

Helps maintain blood sugar levels

Reduce the risk of cancer

Keeps your brain young

Improves immune health

To learn more details on the health benefits visit the eating well website.

Private Home Health Care loves to shop farmer’s markets and get fresh potatoes, peppers, green beans, kale and much, much more.  You can check online for recipes on any vegetable you’d like to try. 

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

On World Elder Abuse Awareness Day it brings awareness to elder abuse that happens around the world.  

The World Health Organization defines elder abuse as “The abuse of older people, also known as elder abuse, is a single or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person.”  

Worldwide it affects one in six people over the age of 60 each year.  Types of abuse from recent studies are in % order:  psychological, physical, financial, neglect, sexual abuxe.  Higher rates of elder abuse appear in nursing homes and long-term health care facilities.

There is an excellent resource at ncea.acl.gov.  This is the National Center for Elder Abuse.  It has a wealth of information such as:

Resources

Blog – ncea.acl.gov/NCEA-Blog

Suspect Abuse – response and prevention strategies

Office Hours – Monday to Friday, 8:30-9:00 PT

Private Home Health Care takes great care in hiring our caretakers.  In addition to regular background checks we include a criminal background check and a Cori check.  We respect and want to protect the community we serve.

#WorldElderAbuseAwarenessDay

Men’s Health Week

The week leading up to Father’s Day is Men’s Health Week.  A week to highlight preventable health problems and to encourage boys and men to take charge of their health by working with a health professional.

According to a report by the CDC in 2001, women are 33% more likely to visit with a doctor than men.  The problem there is that if you aren’t being seen by a health professional for screenings it puts you at a greater risk for health problems.  Men die at higher rates than women from the top causes of death:

Heart disease

Stroke

Suicide

Prostate cancer

Lung cancer

Are you men taught to be tough so you don’t feel vulnerable?  Do you skip doctor’s appointments or wait to see a doctor until you are older?  How can you be screened for cholesterol, blood pressure or blood sugar tests?  These can be indicators of heart disease.  Heart disease is known to start in men 10 years earlier than women so it’s important to get tested.

During this week if you are a man, reach out to a doctor or find a health clinic to begin the discussion about your health.  If you are a woman with a man in your life (husband, brother, father, son) talk to them about their health.  Let them know you care and share some of the facts.  

Private Home Health Care also wants you to know that this Friday is Wear BLUE Day.  By wearing blue it tells the men in your life that you care about their health. You want them to live a healthy lifestyle for them and for you!

National Herb and Spices Day

Charlemagne is quoted as saying “Herbs are the friend of the physical and the pride of cooks.”  Do you know who wrote “Variety’s the very spice of life, That gives it all its flavor.” ? That would be William Cowper, one of the most popular poets of the 18th century.

On this National Day of Herbs and Spices we pay tribute to all of the wonderfully delicious herbs and spices that exist to tantalize our palates.

You and I use herbs and spices all the time for added flavor but herbs have also been used for centuries to alleviate our ailments.  Today, herbal medicine is a big market and medicinal plants are used to help with pain management.  Herbal remedies are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration however.  

The other side of the coin is the belief that you should use herbs as complementary medicine along with FDA approved treatments.  

The good news is that herbs and spices are key to adding flavor to our foods. What would bruschetta be without basil?  When you make Indian Korma, what would the flavor be without garam marsala, curry powder, cardamom, coriander and tumeric?

Private Home Health Care wants to know what herbs and spices you have in your kitchen? No matter what, we believe that variety truly is the spice of life so use what you love!! 

National Best Friends Day

Today on June 8 it’s Best Friends Day. You connect with a best friend and no matter how much time passes between visits, the friendship remains.  A best friend can help you celebrate happy times in our lives and he or she can help support you through the difficult times of divorce, loss of a job or a death.  

The day was actually started back in 1935 by the US Congress who wanted to promote one day a year to close friendships.  It was so popular that it became something celebrated in different areas of the world.  Over the years it lost some of its popularity but social media has begun to change that and it’s picking up speed.

Is your best friend your partner?  Is it someone you met in school or summer camp? Maybe it’s your favorite pet?  Touch base today with your best friend or friends and let them know you care.  Share a photo or a friendship story on social media using #NationalBestFriendsDay or #BestFriendForever.

Share the love!

Gardening

This first week of June is National Gardening Week.  It celebrates the joys of owning and caring for a garden.  On this day, June 6, it’s National Gardening Exercise Day.  Today is the day for enjoying your garden and getting some exercise too!

Did you know that when you garden you build muscles and burn calories?  It’s true.  Think about working in a garden.  You have to carry tools outside so you walk and lift.  When you prune, weed or plant you use your arms and hands. You stretch and bend when you pick up what you’ve pruned and weeded to place in bags.

Do you carry bags or push a wheelbarrow? Think about all the muscles you’d use.  Do you enjoy the fresh air and look at the beautiful flowers that flourish and bloom? Who can be stressed when you look at a lovely garden that you created.

Private Home Health Care knows it can get harder to garden as you get older so take it slow and make sure you drink plenty of water.  Make sure you bend your knees and lift with your legs and not your back.  Try working on a smaller garden or a container garden if that’s easier for you.  Whatever you do, be sure to enjoy yourself and your garden!

National Trails Day

Tomorrow is set aside by the American Hiking Society for National Trails Day.  The day is to bring together people of all ages that love the outdoors.  It’s also to honor those who preserve and maintain hiking trails for everyone.

A bit of historical information.  In 1968, Lyndon B Johnson signed the Trails Act which dedicated a specific set of trails across the US for recreation and tourism.  From that was born the American Hiking Society who formed in 1976.  

It wasn’t until 1988 however when the National Park Service and the American Hiking Society joined forces to review trail-based issues and make recommendations of trails that would be good for Americans.  There is currently a set of 11 National scenic trails within the National Trails System.  Here is a link that gives locations and descriptions of the scenic trails:  https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationaltrailssystem/national-scenic-trails.htm

The trails are for hiking but they are also great for bird watching, biking or canoeing trips.  There are many local trails too if you are looking to have a hike or walk through nature.  You might notice a downy woodpecker, a variety of birds or even turtles in a pond.  Trails are for everyone and they range from easy to challenging so it’s up to you to choose. 

Private Home Health Care hopes that you can find some time this summer to go out and enjoy the great outdoors.  Find a trail and have a leisurely walk or a hike.  There are some national trails in central Massachusetts that you might want to check out. 

Intergenerational Day

The inspiration for Intergenerational Day came from a teacher in British Columbia, Canada in 2009.  The love, care and respect of elders was being taught to students and the idea caught on.

Young people and the elderly can have a wide gap in interactions.  This day was created to highlight the importance of spending time with the seniors in our lives.

As you age there can be less activities to keep you busy.  There are not as many goals for you on a day-to-day basis.  This can lead to loneliness, anxiety and depression.  Spending time with someone younger can help change your feelings from negative to positive ones.

For you the younger person, connecting with a senior can help you understand different life experiences.  It can give you more empathy towards others.  A senior citizen has many experiences to share.  Simple connections are so helpful in making a person feel needed and happy.  

You don’t need a big celebration.  You can visit and spend time with someone in a nursing home.  Try listening to stories, playing a game or making a craft.  Simple activities can help with positive connections for everyone.

Private Home Health Care continues to respect the older generations we serve. We strive to make everyone feel cared for and respected on this day and every day.

Memorial Day

Happy Memorial Day!

Private Home Health Care would like to honor, thank and remember those men and women who died in service of our country.  These men and women gave the ultimate sacrifice for us.  

Namaste.

Memorial Day Weekend

Today is the first day of the long Memorial Day Weekend.  This is a special time to thank those who have defended our country over the years.  The commemoration often happens on the Monday of Memorial Day weekend.  Check local stations and websites for a parade and ceremony near you.

This weekend is also a very big travel weekend and many of us travel by car.  With the gas prices high at this time we might find ourselves staying closer to home.  Private Home Health Care would offer a few suggestions for things to do locally.

In Boston, you can visit the Boston Common where over 37,000 flags have been planted.  These flags represent everyone in Massachusetts who died defending our country since the Revolutionary War.  It is quite a sight to see.

At the Boston Opera House, the Boston Ballet is presenting Swan Lake from May 26-June 5.  Do you like museums?  The Massachusetts Institute of Fine Art and Institute of Contemporary art are both offering free admissions on May 30.

Gloucester offers Whale Watches, beaches and a guided- or self-guided tour of Hammond Castle.  $20 for adults, $15 for seniors, $10 ages 5-12 and free under 4.

No cost things to do in Salem, including walking along Chestnut Street to see the old houses.  It claims to be the first planned street in the US.  You can also picnic and play ball at the Salem Common.  There are lots of old cemeteries to visit and many shops to explore.

Private Home Health Care wishes everyone a lovely and relaxing weekend on this unofficial beginning of summer.